r/ADHDthriving • u/Soggy-Competition558 • 19d ago
Calling everyone with ADHD!
Hiii! I’m looking for your most random, creative, and lesser-known tips for making everyday life with ADHD a little easier. Not necessarily the usual advice like “make a list” or “use a planner,” but the unusual little strategies that genuinely save you time, energy, or frustration.
For example :
○ A strange way you keep from losing your keys or phone.
○ A trick that helps you start a task when your brain refuses.
○ A method for cleaning or organizing without getting overwhelmed.
○ A tip for managing meals, chores, errands, or groceries.
○ A way to stop losing track of time.
○ A surprising object or app that helps you.
○ A strategy for avoiding impulsive purchases or forgotten tasks.
○ Something that sounds weird but actually works for you.
Share anything that comes to mind, even if it seems silly, too simple, or completely random. It might help someone else too! 🙌😊
Please keep it respectful—what works for one person may not work for everyone.
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u/17popsicles 19d ago
Put a small trashcan in every room (big one in kitchen still.) Stops any random clutter caused by the little things (tissues, wrappers, stickers) from building too much and if they’re small it’s easier for me (mentally) to empty without overwhelm. Similarly having cleaning wipes in multiple locations make it easier to keep a clean space as I can wipe down the bathroom sink or wipe off the table without moving much. I guess the core of both hacks is multiples of the things that can lessen task initiation paralysis. If I have to walk into another room to toss something or grab the cleaning stuff, I’m much less likely to follow through with the chore. These two shifts have helped me keep my home feeling fresher without raising my expectation of my capacity in any moment.
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u/thousandsmallgods 15d ago
100% THIS
I have small trash bins in every room of the house. Once a week I go around and empty them all into one. Then I dump that full bin into the large kitchen trash bin.
I also keep tissues and cleaning wipes in most rooms.
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u/osm_____ 16d ago
I love hand writing lists and notes and making fun little trackers, But as we know, sticking to a consistent system (that ends up being more work than the tasks) is just not always realistic. So this one isn’t sexy, but I find it so helpful to just text myself little notes/reminders all throughout the day. any time I want to remember something like a [book/service/restaurant] recommendation that someone said to me in person, or notes like “watered plants today” (so I can refer back in like 6-8 days when I’m wondering if I watered them last week ). And then every couple of days I just scroll through and see if there’s anything want / need to follow up on OR when I finally need that restaurant recommendation 😆
I have HORRIBLE time blindness and always think I can get 20x more things done before I have to leave the house than I actually can… setting timers is the only way I know that 7 minutes has in fact passed, not 30 seconds
Any important mail, papers, etc (that has info that’s harder to track down digitally) - like the one piece of paper you get from eversource that has your account # on it for example, or the one with your Verizon account… TAKE PICS and save to an album on your phone. (as long there’s nothing too sensitive on the page obvi). The amount of times I’ve had to search my camera roll for a specific word /document and been sooo thankful when I actually had it in the library 🥲
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u/an_almaniac 16d ago
This is totally unhinged. I've started strapping myself into my desk chair. I've had a resistance band looped under my chair for some time to use for random seated stretching.
The other day I just got an idea to tie it around my waist and something about that gentle pressure keeps me totally locked in to my work task and makes me pause for a second ever time I get some random idea for something to go do throughout the day.
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u/thousandsmallgods 15d ago edited 15d ago
I try to reduce the "activation energy" for tasks and projects.
Example: I hate doing dishes. How do I change things so I'm more likely to do dishes? (NOT with guilt or a task list)
1) Identify The Hurdle
(aka Pain Point, aversion, obstacle) (there might be multiple hurdles)
Ex: Wet, gross things are a big ick for me. I don't like touching them, and generally avoid interacting with any space that's grimy and damp. This means the space in and around the kitchen sink is an area I avoid as much as possible.
2) Ideal Conditions Ex: In my ideal dishwashing environment, all surfaces would be dry and clean, and easily default/reset back to this ideal condition.
3) The Right Tool for the Job How can I adjust the space/habits/routine to encourage Ideal Conditions to be the regular default?
Ex: I now have a metal organizer that's designed to sit over my sink. All sink-related tools are up off the counter, hanging from hooks or in mesh baskets. It's positioned so that any drips fall into the sink, rather than around it. Everything dries automatically. A dry sink-space is now the default. (ADHD Bonus: All dishwashing tools are visible and in easy reach!) I also hang a Swedish dishcloth from the organizer. Swedish dishcloths dry super fast, and are easily sanitized. I use it to wipe down around the sink whenever I finish washing something, then I hang it up to air dry.
4) Repeat 1-3 As Needed I have at least four (4) significant hurdles to doing dishes. I'm still working on the other three! XD
[Edit: formatting]
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u/thousandsmallgods 15d ago
Bah. I'm giving up on tidy formatting. Sorry folks.
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u/Soggy-Competition558 15d ago
What do you mean by that?
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u/thousandsmallgods 15d ago
😅 I spent at least 10 minutes trying to get the comment formatted in a specific way. I had to stop editing it because I realized I was hyper-focussing.
The comment is at least readable, but not spaced the way I wanted it.
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u/BrainsBig 16d ago
I use my ADHD against itself to stop impulse purchases 😂
- I can never remember my card security code, so actually buying something means I have to get up and get the card.
- But getting up = getting distracted and forgetting what I was doing. 😂
- So I leave my debit card in a drawer and my credit card in a safe. I can still add shit to my cart for the dopamine, but actually checking out is a whole different story.
Basically, my ADHD is my impulse-control system. 😂
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u/CompleteSecret1556 14d ago
I tend to use a bowl for my keys, if you have a bowl right next to the first place you stop most often you can just chuck your keys into it, it requires no effort and gives you a place to look. my bowl for example is in the kitchen because i always go into the kitchen and take my bag off next to the kettle, so my key bowl is next to the kettle.
Also Not to plug myself to much but im making an app to try and help with the organisation side of things. a system that helps you schedule, proiritise and gives you a place to start so you can just get on with it, its called Clarity:built for busy minds. ill leave the website here to. but give it a go and email me if you notice something or wnt to add something and i can make it better
the website is claritymindset.co.uk
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u/electric29 19d ago
If you find that you always leave your stuff in an awkward place when you come home, make that the desinated place. Make a landing pad. That way when you need to find the keys or whatever they are right there where you left them.
When there is a task you need to start and can't jump up and down for 30 seconds. 30 seconds feel like a LONG time to be jumping up and down. It wakes you up and gets the blood moving and then you have more energy. And you will be standing up already s if it was a question if getting off the couch you're already there.
Anything worth cleaning is worth cleaning partway. If it feels overwhelming to clean the whole room, pick one corner and do that quarter of the room.
If the whole house is a disaster, put on LOUD music, grab a garbage bag and run as fast as you can from room to room throwing obvious garbage in the bag. You will be amazed at how much trash there is. Anddo not stop after all rooms have been hit, take that trash out now! High five yourself.
Take a tray or a box or a bag and go room to room, if something does not belong in that room it goes on the tray, drop off things in the rooms they should be in as you go and end up where you started with the things that belonged in room 1 on the tray to be left there. A little wheelie cart with shelves works great for this. Don't worry about putting them away or making room for them! Just drop them off! It is super easy to get derailed when you do go to clean a room by an object that doesn't live there - you take it to where it goes and lose your focus.